« From reading these two novels, I would say that Silverberg, right now, is poised at some sort of turning point of his career, he can degenerate into a comfortable, profitable hackmanship and be the new Ray Cummings of science fiction, with a large faceless audience that knows a Silverberg story is always entertaining and will not make any great demands on the intellect. The critics will not think much of him, but the editors will appreciate him tremendously because a Silverberg story can be accepted sight unseen :
it will be competent, craftmanlike and readable.

Or, having early acquired the basic tools of the trade, Silverberg can go on to develop his characterization (which seems to be his main weakness at present), enlarge his basic control of plot, broaden his vision and give free rein to his essential sensibilities. He can retain all the credit of his competence – the appreciation of the general readers, the confidence of the editors – but he can also, if he uses his talents in their broadest ways, grow perhaps into another Heinlein or Kuttner, whose prolific outpouts have in no way damp their perceptive tendrils.

It will be interesting, say in five years, to read another pair of Silverberg novels and see which choice he has made. »

“In a career as long as mine, all sorts of strange offers are likely to turn up. Many years ago 20th Century Fox had a film option on THE BOOK OF SKULLS, and one clause gave them amusement-park rights. What sort of ride THE BOOK OF SKULLS would generate is hard to imagine. (The passengers try to push each other over the side, and the survivors get to live forever?) But the option lapsed.

Now a French juggling troupe wants to devise an act built around LORD VALENTINE'S CASTLE, which features a troupe of four-armed alien jugglers. How they will manage to find the extra arms is, well, not my problem. Not a lot of money involved, but nobody else is clamoring for juggling rights to the book, and it's only for 100 performances and then the rights revert, so I have asked my French agent to accept the offer. As I say, if you live long enough....”